*Review* Once Upon the Very First Christmas by Rory Feek

 

Genre: Children's 4-8 years

Published: October 3, 2023

Pages: 42

Bestselling author and songwriter Rory Feek takes children and families on a beloved journey to Christmas past in Once Upon the Very First Christmas. On a picturesque farm, schoolchildren gather their homemade costumes and props and put on a heartwarming Christmas play for the community. As they don halos for the angel choir or round up sheep for the final nativity scene, readers will be immersed in the greatest blessings of Christmas—the gift of Jesus—and be reminded that we can rejoice together in the wonder of the season.

Rory's soothing and lyrical retelling of the Christmas story

• is paired with magical illustrations by Christine Cuddihy of a homemade Christmas play,
• is perfect for ages 4 to 8, and
• is a great gift for Christmas, baby showers, and baptisms.

Take a moment to slow down this Advent and Christmas to treasure that first Christmas, God's gift of Jesus, and every precious moment He's given you to celebrate with family and friends.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This was a rhyming version of the classic Christian Christmas story. The cadence for the rhymes felt a little off at times, although maybe with additional readings I would find the correct cadence if it was me and not the book. I only read it once though, so I can't say for sure. 

I'm personally not religious, so I wouldn't be inclined to read this book multiple times to my own children, but my children are beyond the suggested age range for this book anyway, so that's irrelevant. It would be a great addition to the library of pretty much any church-going Christian family, especially one with young children. But I could also see it being an annual read like The Night Before Christmas. 

The illustrations were very colorful and bold. Overall I give Once Upon the Very First Christmas 3.9574 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Christine Cuddihy is an illustrator based in the Midlands, United Kingdom. Inspired by the magical picture books she loved as a child, Christine has been creating stories and illustrations ever since! In 2007, she graduated from Falmouth College of Arts with a degree in fine arts, and her artistic pursuits led her to her ultimate passion—illustrating children’s books. Having grown up in a nontraditional family, Christine values diversity and aims for all children to be able to see themselves and their families represented in her work.

Rory Feek is a true renaissance man, known as one of Nashville’s premiere songwriters, entrepreneurs, and out-of-the-box thinkers. He is a world-class storyteller, crossing all creative mediums, from music and film to books and digital media, and is the New York Times bestselling author of This Life I Live and author of Once Upon a Farm and The Cow Said Neigh. As a blogger, Rory shares his heart and story with the world through roryfeek.com and has more than 2 million Facebook followers. As a songwriter, Rory has written multiple number-one songs. As an artist, he is half of the Grammy-winning country music duo Joey+Rory. As a filmmaker, Rory wrote and filmed the touching documentary To Joey, with Love and directed the feature-length love story Finding Josephine. Rory has appeared on The Rachael Ray Show, CBS Sunday Morning, and The Today Show. As a storyteller, Rory has a new role as Chief Creative Officer of the television network RFD-TV, where he will continue to share not only his own story with the world but also the incredible stories of many others. RFD-TV originally aired the television variety show The Joey+Rory Show and will also air Rory’s most recent television series, This Life I Live. Rory and his youngest daughter, Indiana, live an hour south of Nashville in an 1870s farmhouse, where she goes to school in a one-room schoolhouse built for their community.

*Review* Relentless by Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs

 

Genre: YA Superhero Fiction

Published: June 7, 2016

Pages: 292

Revenge is easy, but justice is worth fighting for…

Kenna is tired of being lied to—and hunted by the very allies she once trusted. Unearthing the dark secrets of the superhero world has not only endangered her life, now her boyfriend faces execution for crimes he didn't commit and her mother is being held captive in a secret governmental prison.

Kenna is determined to stand up for what's right and save those she loves from unspeakable fates. It's time for the betrayal to end. It's time for the real criminals to face justice.

But the truth is even more terrifying than Kenna could imagine. A conspiracy threatens the fate of heroes, villains, and all of humanity. If Kenna's going to survive, she must draw on her deepest strength: her resilience. Because when Kenna's pushed to the limit, she doesn't break down. She fights back.

I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway program. This is my honest review. 

This is the second book in a series and I have not read the first one, but I still felt like I mostly had a handle on what was going on in this world. I felt like I basically understood the super powers and the overall political climate. 

The characters in this book felt like true teenagers to an extent, although the way they paired off with almost no drama felt a bit unrealistic to me (maybe because I didn't read book 1). Seriously though, four romantic pairs in a group of 10 teenagers just isn't natural. 

This book was really big on the action, at times feeling like we were just moving from one action sequence to the next. This really propelled the story along quickly, which made the book a fast read for me. 

Overall I give Relentless 4.0732 out of 5 stars because it was a largely enjoyable read. - Katie 

Amazon

Tera Lynn Childs may pretend to be a goddess, but she’s really just a normal person. Well, maybe not normal. She is a writer, after all. Her works include the mythology-based Oh. My. Gods. series, the Forgive My Fins mermaid romance series, the kick-butt monster-hunting Sweet Venom trilogy, and the Darkly Fae fantasy series. Tera currently parks her laptop in the Seattle area and spends her time writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages. Learn more about her magical realms and find behind-the-book extras at teralynnchilds.com.

Tracy Wolff is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sixty-four novels that run the gamut from young adult action adventures to new adult romance and from women’s fiction to erotica. A long-time lover of vampires, dragons and all things that go bump in the night, Tracy loves nothing more than combining her affection for paranormal creatures with her love of writing tortured heroes and kick-butt heroines. When she’s not writing (which is a rare occurrence), she can be found trying out new recipes, offering make-up tips online, wandering comic book/gaming stores with her sons, and watching movies or plotting stories with her besties. A one time English professor, she now writes full-time from her home in Austin, Texas, which she shares with her family. She also writes as Tracy Deebs and Tessa Adams.

*Review* The Day I Had a Bulldozer by Ashley Wall

 Genre: Children's 3-5 years

Published: March 25, 2024

Pages: 32

This award-winning picture book by former teacher, Ashley Wall, is sure to engage all construction loving children.

A fun-filled friendship story about our favorite things that go…CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES! Luke can’t believe his eyes when he looks from his window and sees a bulldozer outside…with his name on it! He feels like the luckiest boy in the world vrooming around with his best buddy, his dog Bobo. But the fun is only getting started when his friends ride in on a dump truck, steamroller, and excavator. Come join these kind-hearted friends for an amazing day of construction adventure!

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This was a fun, imaginative story about a kid and his friends waking up one day owning some serious construction equipment. They use all their big machines to build a new road to the ice cream shop that just opened up in town, because of course young children wanted an easy way to get to the ice cream shop. Because they all had different equipment, they had to work together as a team to accomplish their goal. 

I really liked how this story illustrated working together to achieve things, and having small children operating heavy machinery just made it so fun. Although neither of my children was ever obsessed with construction equipment, one of my nephews was so I can definitely see the appeal of this book for kids. And I would definitely be okay reading it a few times at least. The illustrations were very bright and colorful. 

Overall I give The Day I Had a Bulldozer 4.0638 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Ashley Wall, M.Ed., is a former educator and a passionate architect of imagination! With a master’s degree in education and a wealth of teaching experience, Ashley has a unique vision: to empower young minds and develop a lifelong love for reading.

When she’s not busy crafting fun stories and engaging adventures, you’ll find her diving into creative projects with her two children. Inspired by their vivid imaginations, Ashley launched a diverse group of friends who embark on larger-than-life experiences, captivating the hearts of little readers everywhere.
Fueled by the belief that imagination is a powerful catalyst for change, Ashley knows that the journey begins at infancy. Through captivating tales and boundless creativity, she is dedicated to building a brighter future―one story at a time. Join Ashley on this exciting adventure, where every turn of the page unlocks new worlds waiting to be explored!

Vaughan loves drawing pictures that make kids giggle. His first attempt at illustrating a children's picture book, 'The Ant Explorer', was shortlisted for the Lothian Centenary Children's Book Award. In 2020 he illustrated 'Big Beach BBQ', published by Larrikin House. 'Facing the Wave' quickly followed in 2022. Without knowing it, kids throughout Australia have grown up with Vaughan's illustrations because he's illustrated over 300 textbooks and readers for educational publishers. Before he became mega-famous, Vaughan designed toys (so much fun) and kids' lunch boxes and back packs.

*Review* Hooked by Emily McIntire

 Genre: Dark Romance/Fairytale Retelling

Published: September 7, 2021

Pages: 312

From international bestselling author Emily McIntire comes a dark and delicious fractured fairy tale reimagining of Peter Pan.

He wants revenge, but he wants her more…

James has always had one agenda: destroy his enemy, Peter Michaels. When Peter’s twenty-year-old daughter Wendy shows up in James’s bar, he sees his way in. Seduce the girl and use her for his revenge. It’s the perfect plan, until things in James’s organization begin to crumble. Suddenly, he has to find the traitor in his midst, and his plan for revenge gets murkier as James starts to see Wendy as more than just a pawn in his game.

Wendy has been cloistered away most of her life by her wealthy cold father, but a spontaneous night out with friends turns into an intense and addictive love affair with the dark and brooding James. As much as she knows James is dangerous, Wendy can’t seem to shake her desire for him. But as their relationship grows more heated and she learns more about the world he moves in, she finds herself unsure if she’s falling for the man known as James or the monster known as Hook.

I borrowed the audiobook of this from my library. This is my honest review. 

I had been torn about reading these books because of all the hype. It both made want to and made me leery because what if they didn't live up to that hype? But then I went to check the hold wait time for Hexed at the library and saw that I could borrow all but one of the books right away and that really decided it for me. Luckily the books so far have not disappointed. 

What I like most about this series is the way McIntire takes some of our favorite fantasy stories and makes them realistic, twisting the tale just enough that no matter how familiar with the original you are, you're never going to be quite sure who the real villains are. And I think we all know that being a criminal doesn't necessarily make you a villain. 

Overall I give Hooked 3.9735 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Emily McIntire is an Amazon top 20 author of painful, messy, beautiful romance. She doesn't like to box herself into one subgenre, but at the core of all her stories is soul deep love. A long time songwriter and an avid reader, Emily has always had a passion for the written word, and when she's not writing you can find her waiting on her long lost Hogwarts letter, chasing her crazy toddler, or lost between the pages of a good book.

*Review* Hope: More Than Wishful Thinking by Gina Prosch

Genre: Children's 4-11 years

Published: March 11, 2024

Pages: 31

Holly learns the hard way that crossing her fingers and hoping for the best is no strategy for success.

The night before an important English test, Holly socializes more than she studies. On the day of the exam, Holly hopes the test won’t be too hard and she really hopes to score big.

But when her grade is posted online, she sees a big fat D with a plus sign. Staring at her grade and feeling a mix of disappointment and disbelief, Holly tells her mom that she had hoped really, really hard but it looks like that wasn’t enough.

Mom must gently remind her daughter that wishful thinking rarely works by itself. If Holly wants to make her dreams come true, she has to do more than hope. She has to be an active participant by staying motivated, putting in the effort, and being resilient. What Holly needs is a different kind of hope. A HOPE that is built on Hard work, Optimism, and Perseverance, so Eventually her dreams can become reality.

Author Gina Prosch helps young children see and understand how to be the leaders of their own lives by maintaining a sense of hopefulness and emotional resilience. A special page written specifically for parents and educators offers insights and practical tips on helping children lean into hope to find the motivation they need to achieve their goals.

Hope! More Than Wishful Thinking is the second title in the author’s Holly’s Choice book series, which also includes Joy! You Find What You Look For.

Written for children ages 5 to 11, the series empowers young readers to embrace life with more joy, hope, and love.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This is a story about a young girl who is studying and trying to learn all the parts of speech for a test at school, and in spite of hoping so hard to get a good grade on the test, she gets a D. Her mom steps in to teach her that hope should be used as an acronym when it comes to school work, because just wishing that you'll do well rarely pans out in the end. 

I think this book might have actually been helpful for me to read to my daughter when she was younger, but it didn't exist then. We really struggle with her caring about school in general, and unlike Holly's mom, I don't know how to help her because I was not a good student. I got good grades, but I was a bad student. I don't think I ever completed any big research assignment more than 24 hours before it was due, and I was typically frantically completing them very shortly before class started. So I don't have the tools to help my daughter do better. For that reason, I think I would absolutely be willing to read this book over and over and over again, hoping the message would stick. The illustrations were very bold and colorful. 

Overall I give Hope: More Than Wishful Thinking 4.6935 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

GINA PROSCH is an award-winning writer who has always been a sucker for a good story. Gina’s love of reading drew her to degrees in English and years spent teaching at the University of Wyoming and Presbyterian College. She also has taught kids at the high school and elementary levels. She is the author of This Day’s Joy, and you can follow her at ginaprosch.com and thisdaysjoy.com. Her first book in the Holly's Choice book series, Joy! You Find What You Look For won the 2023 Gold Mom's Choice Award.

*Review* Killer House Party by Lily Anderson

 

Genre: YA Thriller

Published: October 1, 2024

Pages: 303

From Printz Honor winning author Lily Anderson comes a young adult horror that follows Arden and her friends as their graduation party at an abandoned mansion turns into a bloody fight for survival.

Red Solo cups? Check. Snacks? Check. Abandoned mansion full of countless horrors that won’t let you leave? Check.

The Deinhart Manor has been a looming shadow over town for as long as anyone can remember, and it's been abandoned for even longer. When the final Deinhart descendent passes, the huge gothic manor is up for sale for the first time ever. Which means Arden can steal the keys from her mom’s real estate office . . . It’s time for a graduation party that no one will ever forget.

Arden and her friends each have different reasons for wanting to throw the party to end all parties. But when the manor doors bar everyone inside and the walls begin to bleed, all anyone wants to do is make it out alive.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

I was so excited when my Thrills and Chills Book Club chose this book for our November meeting. While it was a pretty solid book, it didn't quite live up to the hype I'd given it in my head. 

One of my biggest complaints is that it felt too "woke." I'm pretty liberal, so I'm in favor of natural diversity and widespread representation, which this book had in spades...and wouldn't let us forget it. And that was the problem. The characters couldn't turn around without reminding us that Arden is a big girl, like she seriously obsessed over it in a way that felt very unnatural to me. 

A major pro for the book was the final showdown to escape the house. One of the characters elected to not do the thing that worked for the other characters, because it wasn't genuinely true for them, and in spite of that emotionally hurting another character. It would have been easy for them to follow the same path, but instead they forged their own because that was more authentic. 

Overall I give Killer House Party 3.8694 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Lily Anderson is the Printz Honor-winning author of many books including SCOUT'S HONOR, UNDEAD GIRL GANG, and THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN ME IS YOU. A former school librarian, she is deeply devoted to Shakespeare, fairy tales, and podcasts. Somewhere in Northern California, she is expressing strong opinions on musical theater. Find her online at www.mslilyanderson.com

*Review* Rainbows, Unicorns, and Triangles by Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Genre: Children's 3-8

Published: March 21, 2024

Pages: 42

In the past, being different has often been dangerous, and people couldn't always be open about how they wanted to dress, what gender they wanted to be, and who they loved...

Within these pages, you'll learn about how LGBTQIA2S+ people have used signs and symbols throughout history to communicate with each other, create safe spaces, and celebrate who they are!

You'll recognise the rainbow flags of Pride Month, but what about the Labrys, the Lambda or the Lavender Rhino? This beautifully illustrated guide takes you on a journey through everything from the green carnations of Oscar Wilde and the violets of Sappho to the black rings of asexuality and the reclaimed pink triangles of persecution. A wonderful guide for children 5+ to the visual worlds of queer life.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This book was so informative about the different symbols the alphabet mafia has used throughout the years, and I even learned some things I didn't previously know. I really liked the simple discussion questions included in the book that I think would be great to get kids thinking and putting themselves in other people's shoes. It's never too early to teach empathy. 

The illustrations were very colorful, but for a book of this nature I think that's really to be expected. I mean, when you're rather intentionally working with the full rainbow on a regular basis, it would be weird for it to not be colorful. I really think this book would be a great addition to every library, but I also know it would receive a lot of challenges in certain regions. 

Overall I give Rainbows, Unicorns, and Triangles 5.00037 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

There is no information on Amazon about the author.